The Conservation and Management of Rivers
20 Years On

International conference at the University of York, UK
6–9 September 2010

Overview

In September 1990 the Nature Conservancy Council organised an
international conference on ‘The Conservation and Management of
Rivers’. The conference was truly international, attracting 337
delegates from 29 countries.

By September 2010, 20 years had elapsed since the York
conference, and a huge amount had changed in the world –
economically, politically, culturally, scientifically. The 2010
conference looked back over the 20-year period and assessed the
changes in river conservation – how the environment, the
legislation and policies that drive conservation, the
organisations, the techniques for practising river
conservation, and public attitudes have all changed.
What predictions did we make in 1990? Which have been proved
accurate and which have not? Where have we succeeded and where have
we failed? The 2010 conference provided an opportunity both to
share experience, and to use the lessons of the past to look 20
years on into the future.

Aims

The conference, sponsored by the Joint Nature Conservation
Committee, Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection
Agency, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, Scottish Natural
Heritage and Natural England, brought together all those with an
interest in achieving greater integration of conservation within
the management of river systems. It provided a forum for
scientists, policy makers, water resource managers, engineers and
nature conservationists to:

discuss the theory and practice of river conservation

describe progress in different parts of the world

define appropriate strategies for the future

The emphasis of the conference was on habitat and wildlife
conservation but was set within the wider context of water
management. The meeting had a broad, international
perspective, and reflected the range of priorities within and
between countries in the developed and developing world.